Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Déanaim comhghairdeas mór leis an gCeann Comhairle. I thank the people of County Laois for electing me to the Thirty-fourth Dáil. It was a great honour to be elected. It truly showed that the seat does not belong to any family or party. It belongs to the people of Laois. In fact, all three seats in Laois belong to the people there.

There are huge challenges ahead in the constituency I represent. We need affordable housing for those caught in the middle who cannot get a mortgage or get on a social housing waiting list. We need schools. School capacity is under serious pressure. We need to get Coláiste Dhún Másc built. We need the relief road at Mountmellick, which Taoiseach Simon Harris and Deputy Aird promised during the election campaign. I look forward to its delivery. I will hold the Government to account on that. We need flood relief schemes at Mountmellick and Portarlington. We need primary care centres for Portlaoise and Mountrath, as well as for Rathdowney, Borris-in-Ossory and Graiguecullen. We need to implement the occupied territories Bill to save the people of Palestine. We also need jobs.

This promises to be a very right-wing Government. There needs to be a strong left-wing Opposition to hold it to account.

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